Gray squats in front of him. “You scared the shit out of me, Axel.” He looks in the hallway and back to Axel. “Charlie got away, but we’re searching.”
“Goddamnit,” Axel says between clenched teeth. “I must have passed out while Nolan was searching for something to detain him with.” He looks over his shoulder at Cole talking to Kai, and tears flash down his cheeks. “Cole?”
Cole smiles and kisses his forehead. “You didn’t think you would get rid of me that easy, did you?”
“Chelsea?” Cole’s face falls, and he shakes his head. “Brady really does have her?”
“It looks that way. But we’ll find her,” Les promises.
Axel holds his hand out to Gray. Gray pulls him to his feet and leads him over to Kai. “We need to call Sean. Maybe he can get through to him.”
Les dials, relays that everyone is okay, and Kai’s situation. She flips it to speakerphone, and Sean’s voice filters through the line.
“You guys are really good?”
“Yeah, man,” Axel answers. “We need you to talk to Kai.”
“Kai,” Sean says softly. “I need you to come back to me, you overgrown gorilla.” Kai’s eyes shut even tighter. “Come on, man. Say something. I need you home.” Sean sighs. “I need you. I never thought I’d say that, but I do. We need to find your Dragonfly.”
Kai’s eyes flash open at that, but they don’t look anything like his eyes normally do. “What?” he croaks.
“Jesus fuck,” Sean breathes. “Get off your sorry ass and move. Come home to me.”
Axel reaches to help him out, and Kai shrinks against the side of the cage. “Please don’t.”
Axel holds his hands up. “No problem. I was just trying to help.”
Kai shuts his eyes, and I just want to reach in there to hug him but don’t because I like my head attached to my body. “What can we do?” I ask softly.
“Can you give me a minute? I just…fuck. Just give me a minute.”
We all nod and leave the room, with Cole bearing most of Axel’s weight. “Are you good?” Cole asks.
Axel barks a laugh. “Fuck no, I’m not okay. I got stabbed, then shot in the same fucking leg.”
“We have our doctor waiting at your house,” Les assures him. “Sean is with Micah and Van.”
“Where is Ari and his team?” Axel asks.
“I left them as protection detail for Sean and that crew,” Cole answers.
“Good call.” Axel pulls him closer. “It’s damn good to see your face.”
“You too.”
“Let’s go.” We turn around to the sound of Kai’s voice. Ryder steps back, and his arm brushes Kai’s. Kai shrinks against the door, shuddering from head to toe. “Shit.”
“We need to get out of here,” Les says, pulling the attention from Kai. “Anything?” she asks into the comms.
They come around the corner, and Leo shakes his head. “He’s gone.”
Which means this is far from over.
Chapter4
Chelsea
4 days ago